


Jared

by written_in_starlight



Series: the original rewrite [4]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Fantasy, Gen, Minor Injuries, and melody is smol and therefore so much of a dumbass, and this time it's actually explicitly stated!, finn wants absolutely no part in these shenanigans, jared and will both have their moments of being protective idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:22:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25259914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/written_in_starlight/pseuds/written_in_starlight
Summary: Normally, Jared's content to let his brother do the whole "sneaking out" thing on his own. But Will's sick, and Jared refuses to let him suffer through this night alone.
Series: the original rewrite [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1761235





	Jared

Jared rolled over, opening his eyes. “You can’t honestly still be sneaking out.”

Will let out a startled squeak, losing his balance and tumbling back into bed. “I thought you were asleep!” he hissed, rolling onto his hands and knees.

Jared frowned, sitting up. “I said—”

“I heard you!”

“Then why are you sneaking out? You know Mom only checks on us now to see if you’re still here, and she won’t do that since you’re sick.”

“I have to.” Jared didn’t miss how Will’s hands were trembling. “I—I can’t—not in here Jare, I have to be outside.”

Jared sighed but gave in, kicking off his blankets. “Kay. But I’m coming with you.”

Will’s eyes widened. “Jared—”

“Just for tonight. I know you’re doing better, but you’re still sick Will.”

“I—” Will closed his eyes with a shiver. “Okay. Fine. But you gotta keep quiet.”

“I can keep quiet!”

Will raised his eyebrow as he stood again, and Jared stuck his tongue out at his twin. Will returned the gesture. “Come on. We don’t got a lotta time.”

Jared tumbled out of bed and quietly followed Will out of their room. As they passed their parents’ room, Jared held his breath, wary of accidentally making a noise and waking one of them up. But once they made it downstairs without any indication of pursuit, Jared let it out in a rush.

Will shot him a glare, snagging a set of keys and unlocking the front door. “You’re such a drama queen.”

Jared waited until they were outside with the door shut before he responded. “Am not! I just didn’t want to wake Mom!”

“Drama queen.”

Jared huffed, but refrained from shoving Will like he usually would have. He hadn’t missed how Will’s hands shook as he locked the door, and how even now he was shivering despite the warm summer’s night. Instead, he took his brother’s hand. “C’mon,” he said. “Sooner we get out of here, sooner you can rest.”

Will rolled his eyes, but let Jared pull him away from the house and into the woods. Once they were deep in the woods, Will stopped and tugged his hand from Jared’s grip. “We’re far enough.”

“Okay.” Jared turned to face him.

Will bit his lip, hugging himself. “Can you… can you go?”

Jared frowned. “Will, I’m not gonna leave you—”

“Please Jared!” Will took a shaky breath, wiping at his eyes. “Please, just—I—I don’t—”

Jared didn’t want to leave Will, but he hated upsetting his brother even more. “Okay,” he gave in. “But come find me once you’re able to, okay? And if I don’t hear you in like, ten minutes, I’m coming back.”

“O—okay,” Will sniffed.

“Okay.” Jared nodded. “I’ll be nearby.” At Will’s answering nod, Jared turned and made his way through the dark trees.

The forest around him seemed to swallow him whole, and it wasn’t long before Jared couldn’t even hear Will anymore. Jared took a few more steps then sunk to the ground, getting comfortable. This was probably far enough for Will’s comfort. Plus, even if he would never admit it to Will, the woods at night were downright _creepy_ without Will to keep him company.

Jared half-heartedly debated starting a fire so he would have a little light to keep him company, but it had been incredibly dry lately, and Jared really didn’t want to accidentally start a forest fire. So he just had to settle for the weak light from the full moon that filtered through the leaves, casting ever-shifting patterns across the ground.

Maybe five minutes later, Jared was startled by a branch cracking nearby. He shot to his feet, spinning around to look the way he came. “Will?” he called, hoping he didn’t sound as nervous as he felt. But there was no answer, and his brother didn’t appear from the shadows.

There was another crack, and Jared whirled to face the source of the noise. “Who’s there?” he asked.

Jared swore he heard whispers, but they fell silent before Jared was too sure of what he was hearing.

“Show yourself!”

Jared was just debating taking the risk and starting a fire when there was a rustling noise, far closer than the other sounds. From the bushes emerged two wolves, bodies close to the ground as they growled.

“Oh crud.” Jared spun on his heel and took off. He knew he had no hope of actually outrunning them, but maybe he could make it back to Will before they caught up to him. What he would do once he reached Will, Jared didn’t know, but he’d probably be able to think clearer with his brother by his side.

Barely two steps into his frantic dash though, Jared tripped over something and crashed to the ground. He tried to stand again, only to collapse again as his ankle seared with pain. “Crud.”

Jared rolled over to face the wolves as they approached. “Think, think. Gotta buy time…” He snapped his fingers nervously. “No fire, can’t do fire, _think_ Jared!”

Jared’s frantic rambling was interrupted by something snarling just over Jared’s shoulder. Jared glanced around just in time to see another wolf slink from the shadows, teeth sharp and white against his dark fur, neon green eyes narrowed at the two threatening Jared.

Jared sighed, his shoulders slumping. “About time Will!”

Jared swore the wolves in front of him hesitated, exchanging a glance. Meanwhile, Will turned to Jared, his eyes going immediately to Jared’s injured ankle.

“Yeah, shut up, I can’t see well enough to run out here.” Jared shifted so he was on his knees, wrapping an arm around Will’s neck for balance. “So I can’t walk right now. Got a plan?”

Will nudged Jared, seemingly trying to knock him over.

“Ah—Will!”

Will nudged him again, and this time Jared got the message.

“No way. Nuh uh, I doubt you can carry me, and now’s not the time for us to try that out.”

They were abruptly reminded of the situation at hand as a growl tore through the air, followed by a whimper. Jared looked over. The wolf in the lead still looked ready to attack, teeth bared at Will and Jared. The follower was backing away, his ears flat against his head and tail between his legs.

Jared narrowed his eyes. _Were the wolf’s eyes purple?_

Will urgently shoved at Jared, and Jared gave in. “Okay. But not for long, you hear?”

Jared carefully pulled himself onto Will’s back, and once he was situated Will whirled around and bounded off into the darkness.

“Wait!” Jared glanced over his shoulder and saw Melody rapidly disappearing into the trees. “Jared!”

“What’s Mel doing here?”

Will snorted and kept running. Jared closed his eyes and buried his face in Will’s fur, hoping Melody would be alright.

When Will finally slowed down, Jared sat up and looked around a little. He was hopelessly lost by this point, relying on Will’s usually good sense of direction. “How far did we go?” he asked.

Will’s ear flicked. _Far enough_.

Jared sighed. “Stop Will, let me off.”

Will kept walking.

“Will!”

Will huffed, then pushed through some hanging ivy, revealing a hidden cave behind it. It was then Will finally stopped, and Jared toppled ungracefully from his back.

“So this is where you hang out most full moons?” he asked.

Will, however, ignored the question, zeroing in on Jared’s ankle once again. He nosed it gently with a whine.

“I’m fine Will.” During their escape, the pain had faded away. Jared started to stand, only for Will to push him back down with another whimper. “C’mon Will, I promise I’m fine!” Jared shoved Will away and started to stand again. “See?” He refused to admit the fact that his ankle was starting to twinge painfully again.

Will huffed, then nosed his way under Jared’s arm.

“I’m fine Will,” Jared repeated.

Will took a few steps forward, then glanced back at Jared.

“Trying to show me something?”

Will nodded.

“Okay. Lead the way.” Jared followed Will further into the cave. Nestled in the back was a small stream, and Will settled by it with a pointed look.

“Okay, okay.” Jared sat by his brother and dipped his injured ankle in the stream. A quick use of his powers turned the water icy cold, and Jared sighed, laying back. “There. Happy?”

Will wiggled until he could drop his head on Jared’s chest.

“Oof.” Jared stared at the ceiling, his hands unconsciously running through Will’s fur. “Ya don’t think those were werewolves, d’you?”

Will snorted.

Jared laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. They were way too small. I don’t think you were ever that small, even when you first transformed. But it’s weird. Don’t wolves hunt as a pack? And hunting a human seems out of character, much less continuing the hunt once a werewolf showed up.”

Will nudged Jared to get his attention, then slowly blinked.

Jared sighed. “Okay, so I’m not crazy and his eyes were purple. Which begs the question, _why_?”

Jared didn’t want to voice the follow up question. _Why was Melody there, and where did she come from?_ He wasn’t sure he wanted the answer, or the subsequent revelation about the girl he’d thought was his friend.

**Author's Note:**

> In case you happen to be coming from Tumblr and have seen my ramblings about Jared potentially having the power to control time, no I still haven't decided if that's getting scrapped from his character or not. But then why didn't he use them? Two options. 1.) He hasn't discovered those powers yet (they don't discover all their powers at once), or 2.) He's a tiny pyromaniac dumbass who panicked and forgot all his powers other than fire lol.


End file.
